Radio

GK: Chicago is a great city for radio. Of course it was the home of Studs Terkel for many years ------

TR (STUDS): Today we’re talking about surrealism and the Haymarket Riot, Zoroastrianism, the Ottoman empire, the volcanic island of Amchitka, the theology of Martin Luther, Chinese herbal medicine, the whole idea of perception and reality, and of course the White Sox. Back in a moment.

GK: Chicago gave birth to another great show, THIS AMERICAN LIFE and the inimitable Ira Glass ------

TR (IRA): Today we’re going to talk about you. The beautiful people. People in their twenties. People who listen to my show while watching TV, surfing the Web, listening to music, texting, and eating organic guacamole and then you exercise for ten minutes and then you Skype someone in Prague for ten minutes and then you wonder why you haven’t finished your novel yet. The Incomplete Generation. Excuse me----- be right back.

GK: It’s also the home to WAIT WAIT DON’T TELL ME-
Which is------ 1. A show in which people are discouraged from telling stories, 2. A quiz show in which there is no time limit and the audience may wait for weeks for an answer, 3. A show in which waiters in restaurants do not tell you the specials, or 4. The NPR news trivia quiz show hosted by Peter Sagel.

SS: Uh...... I’m going to go with 3. (WRONG BUZZER)

GK: But for those of us who remember radio when radio was radio which was back when Chicago was Chicago, there were other shows that retain a warm place in our memories-----

(BIG THEME)

TR: And now from the Field Museum, it’s SCIENCE MARCHES ON (MARCHING FEET) ----- today we’ll take a look inside the human heart (HEARTBEAT) thanks to a tiny microphone that travels inside an artery to go into mysterious places in the body, such as the liver (SQUORTS), the lungs (JUICY BREATHING), the medulla oblongata (STATIC), and the (FN MOUNTING LAUGHTER) armpits. And we’ll also peer into the intricate social life of the pterodactyl. (SFX)

GK: There were soap operas that came from Chicago, dozens of them.........

TR (ANNC): And now, from Chicago, it’s I LOVE O’HARE, stories of romance in the crowded concourses of a busy airport....(CROWD MURMURS. FN ON P.A.: Our flight to Beijing will begin boarding in ten minutes at Gate 45)

SS: Ken----- Ken Canfield. How are you?

TR: Sarah!

SS: Sally.

TR: Right. Sorry.

SS: That’s all right. What are you doing here? Haven’t seen you in years----

TR: Just flying to Wichita to see my mother. And you?

SS: I’m on the flight to Beijing.

TR: Really. So what do you do since we--- you know----

SS: Since we broke up? Well, I got my Ph.D. at Berkeley, and started a fashion business here in Chicago, and in my spare time I teach constitutional law to troubled youths and I race sailboats and run a 40-acre organic arugula farm. You?

TR: Well. I’m kind of between things right now.

SS: Oh---

TR: I’ve missed you, Sally. I’ve missed you a lot.

SS: I can imagine.

FN (ON P.A.): We are now ready to begin boarding our first class passengers for our flight to Beijing......

SS: That’s me. I’ve got to go. How long will you be in Wichita?

TR: I don’t know. I’m moving in with my mother. Just temporarily. You know----

SS: Well, it’s good to see you, Ken. Keep in touch.

TR: Sure----- let’s get together sometime.

SS: Next time I’m in Wichita, I’ll give you a call-----

TR: You do that------- (STING)

GK: And of course there were cops and robbers shows

TR (ANNC): From Chicago, it’s FELONS OF JAZZ. (SAX) The music is free-form, but even free-form has its rules. And when they’re broken, it’s time for the Jazz Police.......
SS: Where’d he go?

TR: Back there.

SS: Out back?

TR: In the alley.

SS: And he just came running in and started to play?

TR: We were in the middle of our set. He just jumped up onstage. Wasn’t even playing the changes. Just blowing, you know? It was awful.

SS: A jazz bagpiper.

TR: That’s him.

SS: Okay. (FOOTSTEPS, DOOR OPEN) You’re out there, aren’t you. I know you’re there. Just let the air out of your bag and put it on the ground.

FN: No! No! I have to play. I feel it, man. In my blood. Like a disease! (BAGPIPE PLAYS “TAKE THE A TRAIN”)

SS: Just put it down, sir. (GUNSHOT)

GK: And then there was my favorite show-----

(THEME)

TR: They came in search of love and sometimes they found it......Join us now for SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT THE LINCOLN PARK ZOO.

(TROPICAL BIRDS)

GK: Look. Birds mating. Just like you and me used to.

AS: You and I.

GK: That’s what I said. What happened?

AS: We broke up.

(PRIMATES)

GK: Boy, the monkeys are going at it.

AS: I suppose when you’re locked up with someone, there isn’t much choice.

GK: I wish we were still together. Instead of him and you.

AS: He and I. Brad and I.

GK: What’s so special about him?

AS: I’ll introduce you. You can see for yourself.

GK: We had such a beautiful thing going. You and me were good together. ---- What’s wrong?

AS: Never mind.

GK: I miss singing our song. You remember our song?

AS, GK (SING):

It's so easy to fall in love.
It's so easy to fall in love.
People tell me love's for fools,
So, here I go breakin' all of the rules.

(CHIMPANZEE LOVE DUET OVER....HUM.)

It's so easy to fall in love.
It's so easy to fall in love.
Look into your heart and see,
What your love has meant to me.

FLAMINGO LOVE DUET OVER......

It's so easy to fall in love.
It's so easy to fall in love.

ELK LOVE DUET

AS: Is that an eland or antelope?

GK: It’s an elk.

AS: I think it might be a wapiti. The one on the left.
GK: No, it’s a caribou. A caribou and a wapiti.

AS: Not an eland.

GK: Oh my gosh. Look at that. Two different species. An elk and a caribou.

Lovingly selected from the earliest archives of A Prairie Home Companion, this heirloom collection represents the music from earliest years of the now legendary show: 1974–1976. With songs and tunes from jazz pianist Butch Thompson, mandolin maestro Peter Ostroushko, Dakota Dave Hull and the first house band, The Powdermilk Biscuit Band (Adam Granger, Bob Douglas and Mary DuShane).